I don’t know the mechanisms, but what I am saying is that they already had a control to test the accuracy of the methods - Able Danger’s red flag of the Stanford-Perry-Chinese military connection. They knew the technology had pinpointed a real threat. But because that threat was THEM, they wanted everything about Able Danger ended.
I think you’re missing the larger point, though. There were clues that a diligent government should have paid attention to - both on Perry and on AQ. Those clues were suppressed and the people who were desperately trying to warn of impending danger on AQ were gagged and suppressed because if Able Danger was treated as credible, it could lead people to investigate our OWN GOVERNMENT - and specifically our own Secretary of Defense, who WAS BREAKING LAWS BY ARMING OUR ENEMIES. China’s satellite capabilities in asymmetric warfare go directly to the treason by OUR OWN SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.
Look at that and try telling me that our government would never conspire to do something bad and then cover it up by silencing the people talking about the clues.
Do you assume that Fast and Furious never happened because it would have to be a government conspiracy?
Not going to happen for a variety of legitimate reasons. For one the FBI has databases that might do that, but only if the persons are suspects. In the case of AQ they had databases at the CIA for that, but only for foreigners. Those databases are now at NCTC where they have both foreign and domestic individuals but only if the domestic are suspects.
What you seem to advocate is an all-powerful government prior to 9/11 while obviously realizing that would an incredibly bad idea with this administration. There are two unrealistic assumptions you are making: 1. the government has everyone in a database and 2. the database actually can sort out the bad guys from the good guys without false positives. The first assumption may be true, we don't really know anymore, especially in the current admin. The second will never be true. What will happen instead is false positives like what you see in the movie Brazil.
Do you assume that Fast and Furious never happened because it would have to be a government conspiracy?
A decent question, but that operation left significant real world evidence that it took place. That evidence was mostly suppressed until our agent Brian Terry was killed. The suppression of the evidence and the operation itself was a govt conspiracy until the evidence was revealed. Now all parties acknowledge it took place although there is disagreement on the details. So there is no longer a conspiracy of silence but still somewhat of a conspiracy or collusion between the media and the perps to try to keep it out of public discussion.